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Benefits-Of-Being-Bilingual 1
Benefits-Of-Being-Bilingual 1
Benefits-Of-Being-Bilingual 1
Being Bilingual
Head Start currently serves more than 300,000
children who are dual language learners (DLLs) in
87.4 percent of its classrooms (Office of Head Start,
2011). This document lists some reasons bilingualism
is an asset to individuals, families, and our entire
society. Head Start staff can share the benefits of
bilingualism with families, find ways to support
childrens home languages, and encourage families to
keep their language strong.
Benefits: An Overview
Cognitive
Individuals who are bilingual switch
between two different language systems.
Their brains are very active and flexible
(Zelasko and Antunez, 2000). Research also
shows that bilingual people have an easier
time
understanding math concepts and
solving word problems more easily
(Zelasko and Antunez, 2000);
developing strong thinking skills
(Kessler and Quinn, 1980);
using logic (Bialystok and Majumder,
as cited in Castro, Ayankoya, &
Kasprzak, 2011);
focusing, remembering, and making
decisions (Bialystok, 2001);
thinking about language (Castro et al.,
2011); and
learning other languages ( Jessner,
2008).
SocialEmotional
Becoming bilingual supports children
to maintain strong ties with their
entire family,
culture, and
community.
All of these are key parts of childrens
developing identity (Zelasko and Antunez,
2000). Bilingual children are also able
to make new friends and create strong
relationships in their second languagean
important personal skill in our increasingly
diverse society.
Finally, recent research has also found that
children raised in bilingual households
show better self-control (Kovcs and
Mehler, 2009), which is a key indicator of
school success.
Learning
Global
References
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Bialystok, E. (2001). Bilingualism in development: Language, literacy, and cognition. Cambridge, UK:
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Castro, D. C., Ayankoya, B., & Kasprzak, C. (2011). The new voices/Nuevas voces: Guide to cultural
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